2023 has been a big year for EVs in the Australian market, with a new electric model launching nearly every month, and the first EVs offered at a price below $40,000.
One of the most hotly anticipated models has been the MG4, which is one of those three new EV offerings in Australia – along with the BYD Dolphin and the GWM Ora – that has base variants that are priced below $40,000, before on road costs.
The MG 4 base Excite variant starts at $38,990, but it also has higher priced version that feature bigger batteries, more range, and some extra features for the driver. And it was the Long Range version with a much bigger 77 kWh battery pack that I got got to drive for a few days last week.
The Long Range variant not only adds the larger battery (up from the 51 kWh battery pack found in the base Excite variant), and a claimed range of more than 500kms, it also includes 6 speakers, a rear spoiler, front heated seats, a heated steering wheel, electric folding mirrors, a 360-degree camera, a two-tone roof colour and 18-inch upgraded alloys over the base model.
With all that added kit and a bigger battery, it brings the top-spec model to $55,990 before on-roads. In Victoria, the Long Range variant has a starting driveway price of $59,481. The Brixton blue metallic paint pushes that driveaway price up to $60,541, which pushes it up to the same price as a Tesla Model 3.
Today I share if the MG4 lives up to the warm-hatch standard that I sensed in my introductory drive at the launch, and how the overall electric hatch is packaged for local customers.
Spacious on the inside
The MG4 has a lot to offer the driver as it is the first “ground-up” EV from MG in Australia, which means it is built on a new platform and which generally means more space inside than normal electric versions of existing petrol models.
It has a low ground clearance of 147mm, but is relatively easy to get in to, and the interior lay out has been given some thought.
It has a minimalist feel compared to the the MG ZS EV (the popular electric version of one of the country’s best selling fossil cars). and many other vehicles on the market. The steering wheel has a solid feel and I quite like the squarish design with all the buttons on the steering wheel, including those you can customise.
There is a screen behind the steering wheel which displays key driving and vehicle information. It also shows lane-keep functions and speed limits of roads being travelled on. In my experience, they did a pretty good job at picking the right speed zones, including school zones.
All EVs now have large centre screens and the MG4 is no different. Compared to the ZS, the MG4’s centre screen is more landscape which is a good thing, especially when it comes to functionality with Android Auto and Apple Carplay. Speaking of which, the wired system worked every time and did a great job in bringing the key apps from my phone into the car.
The screen is glossy which might not be for everyone as it can add glare in certain areas when the light or shadows hit it, but that can be adjusted by increasing its brightness or with an anti-glare screen protector.
The seats were comfortable and hug the driver, which is nice and reassuring in corners and on longer drives. The rear seats also had a good angle for comfort on longer drives, but the headroom in the back could be an issue for taller folks.
The steering wheel has a solid feel and I quite like the squarish design with all the buttons on the steering wheel, including those you can customise.
There is plenty of space on the inside, and even the boot, which appeared roomier than many popular hatchbacks like the Toyota Corolla.
It does drive like a warm hatch
The MG4 is quite a comfortable drive on the city streets and roads. With its 77 kWh battery pack, it can deliver up to 530 km of WLTP range in eco mode which is more than enough for a car predominantly used for daily drives.
In eco and normal modes, it drives like any hatchback, but without the noise of a small engine that is coupled with a CVT transmission found in most ICE hatchbacks these days.
In sport mode, best for curvy roads and corners, the suspension and drivetrain come into its own. It’s a rear-wheel-drive, and takes corners with precision and ease.
Coming out of these corners is even better with the drivetrain sending all the power to the rear. It genuinely puts a smile on drivers dial when it’s driven around curvy roads: It surely brought a grin to my face.
The 180 kW of power and 350 Nm of torque in this car allows it to do 0-100 km/h in 6.5 seconds, which is pretty good and better than many better known cars, such as the RWD Model Y.
On the city streets and roads, it feels fairly efficient with readings of under 16 kWh/100 km. Fairly good for early Melbourne spring with HVAC turned on.
Head turning looks
The MG4 that I was driving attracted a lot of looks, which could have been due to the Brixton blue paint the test-drive car came in, but also due to its aggressive front and rear design. The daytime running lights and the rear lighting in this top-variant do make it easy to spot.
Overall, it is a very well-packaged warm hatch that fills an important gap in the EV market. MG has promised to deliver just shy of 300 of these in the first month of deliveries in August, and I can see how this could easily turn into thousands in the coming months.
MG has delivered a warm hatch that Australian drivers deserve but the story doesn’t end there. A hot-hatch is also only months away with a dual-motor powertrain that will compete with many high-performance vehicles on the market.
Riz is the founder of carloop based in Melbourne, specialising in Australian EV data, insight reports and trends. He is a mechanical engineer who spent the first 7 years of his career building transport infrastructure before starting carloop. He has a passion for cars, particularly EVs and wants to help reduce transport emissions in Australia. He currently drives a red Tesla Model 3.